[EBB Sightings] mines road-del puerto canyon 4/30/09

Please excuse the cross posting - Trip was EBB territory. However sponsor was Sequoia Audubon with most members following Penbirds.. Also forgive a bit of Grandpa Pride
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Our second grand daughter - Lauryn Elizabeth Mencher arrived 3:30pm 4/30/09 4 days early.
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All are doing well.
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Sequoia Audubon has a field trip to Mines Road- Del Puerto Canyon scheduled for Sun 5/3 so with 4 days to go Grandpa went on a?5 person scouting trip - ?out of cell phone reception until reaching I-5 about 4:40
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Started at Murietta Wells Winery - Great Great horned Owls nesting in usual spot. Many Cedar Waxwings along first few miles of trip. 
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Leslie Flint,our leader, knows the area quite well and we made many stops along the way.
see photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyjeff/sets/72157617570855556/
and comments
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Did find the Lewis' in usual area along San Antonio Road although Starlings seem to have taken over the nesting tree near the road. We continued on a bit and found about 7 wood ducks in the pond on the left before the ranch. Have found them here for several years
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Then back to the Junction and to Del Puerto Road - Tricolored Blackbirds in reeds at pond - Also had great views of mom and chcks - both American Coot and Pied billed Grebe
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Several views of Golden Eagles all along the route. Got the Lawrences and Lazuli Buntings at Frank Raines and heard but couldn't find a Yellow breasted Chat as we drove along.
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Approaching Owl Rock we stoped at the Fig tree to look for Rock Wren - No luck -but Great horned Owl sitting on face - To it's left deep in cave 2 older chicks and to it's right a youngster in nest. California Quail across creek
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Got to Owl Rock - More Great horned Owls. ?3 youngsters and Adult in one window, Red tailed Hawk a few "rooms"? and lark sparrows in the close tree to the right.
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Found Rock Wren here - at top of cliff
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Off to Tree Tobacco for Costa's - It was there moving back-forth across road - Gave us many great views. Then hoped to look for Blue Grosbeak on way to I-5.
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Along the way Loggerhead Shrike and Golden Eagle being harrassed by Raven - Amazing size difference when that close to each other.
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Now for the downer - About 3/4 mile before the Canyon Road ends -? Approaching Blue Grosbeak area we were suprised to see the entire fields on out left had been planted. Thousands of tree - one member of our group thought they were peach trees. Guess that doesn't really matter. The plantings continued to the last cattle crossing
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What an impact on the habitat and future water needs. 


      
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